There was a time during Greg Schiano’s tenure as Rutgers coach when a regular-season home game – a Big East game at that – drew about half of what Saturday’s spring game did.

Schiano still remembers the mid-November loss to Temple in 2002.

“The rain was so hard it was coming down sideways.” he said.

The announced attendance that day was 10,225.

The actual total of people in the stadium was about 4,000 people less.

But that was then. Even the spring game has become an event at Rutgers now, and not just because this latest one – Schiano’s 10th – drew a record crowd of 20,114. It was as much about the stars of past and present, and maybe future, that turned it into something more than just another meaningless scrimmage.

Mike Teel was there.

Tom Savage, the next good one at the quarterback position, gave another hint of why he will probably eclipse all of Teel’s school passing records.

Savon Huggins was there as well. He’s the five-star running back recruit from St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City.

“It’s great stuff,” Schiano said of the day.

Some of the other highlights:

Despite working behind a patchwork offensive line, tailback Joe Martinek rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, highlighted by a 52-yard run with the offense pinned against its 4 yardline.

Martinek put a move on back-up free safety Duron Harmon that locked him in his tracks, extending the gain another 15 yards.

“I think he’s already hearing about it from some of his guys,” Martinek joked about his shoulder fake that froze Harmon.

Martinek said the move “is something I’ve been working on this spring.”

Among the former players in attendance were Teel, Jamaal Westerman, Mike Fladell, Jeremy Zuttah, Brandon Renkart and Andrew DePaola.

Teel, a back-up quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, said he can tell immediately why new coach Pete Carroll has a reputation as “a players’ coach.”

Savage, meanwhile, was hoping to catch up with Teel but wasn’t able to.

“I saw him over that. I wanted to say hi to him but I didn’t get a chance to say hi,” said Savage.

Safety Joe Lefeged, wide receiver Mohamed Sanu and defensive tackle Charlie Noonan were among the starters who did not play. Defensive tackle Justin Francis also sat out due to injury.

Wide receiver Tim Wright earned the Mark Mills Second Effort Award as the most improved offensive player during the spring while safety Khaseem Greene won the Douglas A. Smith Award as the most improved defensive player. Noonan was named the winner of the Frank Burns Award, given to the player “who displays extraordinary mental and physical toughness during spring practice.”

Here’s what Schiano had to say about the three:

On Greene: “He’s played well for us before, but I think he really played like a starter this spring. There will certainly still be competition come next fall. But I think he carried himself like a first-team and he performed like a first-teamer. That’s great to see because certainly with the graduation of Zaire (Kitchen) we need a guy to step up.”

On Wright: “Early on in the spring I think I kind of mentioned to you guys that he was doing some really good things. That continued. It kind of clicked for him a little bit. He and (wide receivers coach P.J.) Fleck have a great chemistry, which helps. It’s a cumulative effect of hearing it over and over and over again and getting more comfortable with it. It’s great because he’s really a big, impressive receiver. That’s what you want him to look like.”

On Noonan: “Basically that award is one of toughness, inspiration – those kind of things. There’s none better on the football team than Charlie. Charlie is our tough guy. He had surgery on Wednesday to repair something. It’s not major. But he went through the whole spring (hurt) because he wanted to work with coach (Randy) Melvin, his new defensive line coach. Any new techniques, he wanted to make sure that he could master them or at least have a real good handle on them so he can perfect them this summer before the season starts. He gutted it out throughout the spring. He could do that, but we wanted to make sure his recovery would get him back in time for the summer program because he is so important to the leadership of this football team.”

Quron Pratt, looking to step into the role as the new slot receiver, had eight catches for 55 yards in the game.

“Quron had a good spring,” Schiano said. “He’s another guy that could be in that ranking with Tim Wright. It doesn’t surprise me. He’s a kid that has a knack. Some guys can just make plays. Now, he’s slight. He’s got to build himself up. I think he’ll continue (progressing) because he cares, really cares. He’ll continue to get bigger and stronger. But you can’t put that kind of play-making ability in. It’s hard to coach that.”

Sophomore Steve Beauharnais, making the switch from strongside linebacker to middle linebacker, had 13 tackles, an interception and a TFL in what is becoming a typically active performance.

To the surprise of many, Ryan D’Imperio, a two-year starter at middle linebacker for the Knights, was the only other Rutgers player drafted after first rounders Anthony Davis and Devin McCourty. D’Imperio was taken in the seventh round Saturday (237th overall) by the Minnesota Vikings – as a fullback.

“I played it in high school. I didn’t play it in college, but I played it in high school,” D’Imperio said of fullback. “It’s all about collision, blocking. It’s the same whether you’re on offense or defense, you just don’t have the ball in your hands. That’s all that matters, to just go out there.

“Whatever they tell me to do, I’m going to do it the best I can. As far as learning, it’s the same whether you’re on offense or defense. You have to take stuff from the meeting room and apply it on the field. I feel like I do that very well.”

Schiano said he was surprised more Rutgers players – George Johnson, Damaso Munoz, Kevin Haslam and Jack Corcoran among them – weren’t drafted.

“A little disappointed more of our guys didn’t get drafted because I think they’re worthy, but I think they’ll prove their worth,” he said. “George Johnson will play in the National Football League. A guy like Damaso (can). I think our guys better than anyone know. You look at an Eric Foster. You look at a Gary Brackett. They’re not afraid.”Tom Luicci may be reached at tuicci@starledger.com